When you are about to finish or just finished your PhD, you find yourself at a unique crossroads. You have accomplished the highest level of education that the academic world has to offer. You have shown that you master a great number of skills, that you are able to function in the front line of your particular science discipline. If you have done a postdoc, you may have added even more years to your professional experience.

But then what?

For many researchers this crossroads is a particularly challenging one. Sure, the academic world offers opportunities, but these are limited in scope and number and today’s world is so much, much bigger. Therefore, we strongly feel that the end of your life as a PhD student or postdoc is worthy of some extra time and space to reflect on the way ahead.

Your road as a science professional.

We invite you to a two-day retreat to do just this. You will be challenged to think outside of the familiar boxes, to take a fresh look at the skills that you have mastered and at the ways you may want to deploy them. Your road map may well turn out to be a very unconventional one. So: do you dare to live your true capabilities?

The retreat will be held at Akoesticum, a beautiful and quiet place in the center of the Netherlands. The programme includes:

• Getting acquainted with your real skills.
• Taking a new look at the possibilities that are open to you.
• Analyzing your motivational drive.
• Following your intrinsic motivation.
• Finding answers to some deeper life questions.
• Preparing a plan with the very concrete first steps of your unique journey.